Pendulum solenoid motor



1933! w. G. WAGENHALE 3 FENDULUM SOLENO ID MOTOR Filed March 27, 1951 :1 6 [in u INVENTOR miiizam E. Magenha is BY v 1 ATTO RN EYS Patented Oct. 24, 1933 UNIT srs'rss rant Fries 2 Claims.

The present invention pertains to a novel pendulum solenoid motor of a type particularly adapted for use in the operation of animated signs or displays.

The primary object of the present invention is to devise an electrically operated motor which is light in weight, simple and in xpensive to build and which is of a character readily enabling it to be used for moving the movable parts of advertisements such as are commonly known as animated displays. The motor is constructed with supporting members for a shaft upon which swings a pendulum, the swinging movement of the pendulum being caused by a solenoid which pulls the pendulum in one direction and allows it to swing back freely. The swinging movement of the pendulum may be utilized to rock the shaft to and fro or it may be utilized to rotate the shaft in accordance with the requirements of the sign in conjunction with which it is to be used.

With the above and other ends in view the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the. present solenoid motor;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of an advertising sign adapted for operation by the present motor, and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of a ratchet mechanism which may be employed in conjunction with the present motor to utilize the swinging movement of the pendulum to impart continuous rotation to the supporting shaft.

Like characters of reference are employed throughout to designate the corresponding parts.

The numeral 1 indicates an advertising sign which may be shaped to resemble the article to be advertised, as for example certain articles of manufacture are advertised by a representation of an elephant, and the sign 1 is shaped to resemble an elephant. A shaft 2 extends through the sign 1 and supports a board 3 which is shaped to resemble the elephants head and trunk and by rocking the shaft 2 the head of the elephant rocks back and forth with a motion simulating the manner in which an elephant swings its trunk and head.

The present invention aims to provide a motor for the operation of animated signs or advertisements of this character and comprises the frame 4 which supports the shaft 2. Mounted on the shaft 2 to move therewith is a pendulum 5 having an adjustable weight 6 secured on the lower end thereof by a set screw 7. The pendulum is provided with a cross arm 8 near the upper end thereof having a counterbalancing weight 9 on one end thereof and a mercury switch 10 is mounted upon the other end.

A solenoid 11 is supported upon the frame 4 and has a plunger 12 supported therein by a chain or non-rigid member 13 which is connected to the extension 14 on the cross arm 8 so that intermittent energization of the solenoid causes the pendulum to rock the shaft 2. The solenoid is connected by the Wire 15 to a source of power and has the wire 16 connected to the mercury switch it and then to the solenoid, a resistance coil 1'? being placed in series in the line 16 if found desirable to reduce the amount of puil exerted by the solenoid 11 on the chain or flexible member 13.

in operation the solenoid pulls the plunger 12 and chain or non-rigid member 13 downwardly and swings the pendulum 4. After a limited amount movement the mercury switch breaks the circuit the plunger 12 rises again as the pendulum swings back towards its normal position and as it its vertical position the mercury in the switch 10 closes the circuit to reenerglze the solenoid to swing the pendulum back again.

In Fig. 8 the pendulum i has a pawl pivoted thereon to engage a ratchet wheel 19 which is keyed to tr e shaft 2, in this case the pendulum is mounted to swing upon the shaft and the swinging movement of the; pendulum is utilized to impart continuous rotary movement to the shaft 2.

Although a specific embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described it is to be understood that various changes may be made withinthe scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

What I claim is:

i. A device of the character described including in combination a rigid supporting frame, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, a rod supported by said shaft, a pendulum adjustably mounted adjacent the bottom of said rod, a cross arm mounted on arm between said pendulum and said shaft, a solenoid supported by said frame, a plunger suspended from said cross arm and extending into said solenoid, a switch carby said cross arm and actuated by swinging of said pendulum in a manner to intermittently make and break an electrical circuit between member, a solenoid into which said plunger extends, a switch carried by said cross arm and actuated by swinging of said pendulum in a manner to intermittently make and break an electrical circuit between said solenoid and a source of supply, and means connecting said pendulum to said shaft in a manner whereby swinging movement of said pendulum imparts movement to said shaft.

WILLIAM G. WAGENHALS. 

